Bushing applicator



8, 1948. J. DE SWART BUSHING APPLICATOR Filed Nov. 14, 1945 x 26 INVENTOR.

(fan dewarf zarklud Patented May 18, 1948 A UNITED STATES PATENT znnasc J V Arrmca'ron Jan de Swart, Eagle Rock, (ialih, ass'irgnor to Shelmar Prolucts Corporation, Mount Vernon,

robin, a-oomporation of Delaware Application November 14, 134.5,;Serial No. 628,586

My invention is concerned with a hand tool,- or applicator, for installing plastic bind grommets. It is an object of my invention to provide a hand tool, or applicator, which is particularly designed for installing in an aperture in apartition,

or the like, a. plastic grommet -orbushing, of the type which comprises two complementary sections, one of which is provided with an expand- It isa further obiect'of my'invention to-provide an applicator tool for use in applying grommets or the like which is easy to use, which operates efliciently, and which may be readily and cheaply constructed.

These and other objects will be apparent from the description of. my applicator tool which is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my grommet applicator;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the two-part grommet;

Fig. 6 is a view of the applicator with the grommet members placed thereon and in position in the aperture in a partition in which it is to be installed, the grommet members being shown in section; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the rommet members in engaged relation just prior to removal of the applicator.

My applicator tool is designed to install a grommet or bushing of the type which comprises an inner tubular section l0, having an integral split skirt I I, which is adapted to be passed through the aperture l2 in the partition 13, and an outer tubular section H, which is provided with a beveled outer surface I5 on one end and an enlarged portion 16 having an inner shoulder H on the other end. The outer tubular section I4 of the grommet is adapted to be telescoped over the inner section ID to engage the beveled surface IS with the skirt II and spread it out- 3 Claims. (01. arc-25') wardly whereby the forward-edge, H; of the Same is. brought into abutting relation withthe one surface of the partition i3, while the shoulder H is moved into abutting relation with 'the'other surface of the p ition rs and th ro m is fricitionallysecured in the aperture.

' The applicator comprises a tubular portion '20 having a head 2'! on one end provided with op- Ipositely directed aligned radialslots 22. Mow .able and guided in theslots 22 are a'l' air of finger .members 2,3 which may be made of spring rod material bent to generally Ll-shaped orV-"s'haped form as shown in Fig. 4-withthe bight or connecting portion 2! looped around an eyelet 2'5 loosely carriedon a cross pinjZGwhich-is movable longitudinally of the body 20*o'f the tool in the aligned guideislots '21. The fl@" ends of the fingers23 have oppositely directed bent-over members 28. A handle member 29 is provided with a bifurcated end 30 which is pivoted at 3| to the body 20 of the tool adjacent the headed end thereof. Link members 32 are pivoted at one end at 33 to the handle 29, and at the other end, they are secured to the ends 34 of the pin 26. The handle 29 is provided with a grip portion 35 while the body 20 of the tool is extended to provide a grip 36.

To apply the grommet the fingers 23 are manually pushed toward each other and the sections l0 and M are placed on the fingers 23 with the latter in their extended position (Fig. 6) the ends 28 of the fingers 23 engaging the skirted portion of the grommet section [0 and the head 2| of the tool engaging portion l6 of the grommet section I l. The operator then grips the portions 35 and 3B of the handle 29 and the body 20 of the tool, respectively, and after moving the grommet section I0 into position in the aperture I2, draws the handle 29 toward the body 20 thereupon moving the head 2! and the free ends of fingers 23 toward each other to force the grommet sections l0 and 14 into telescoping relation to engage the edge of skirt II with one face of plate 13 and the shoulder [1 with the other face of the plate l3. The handle 29 may then be moved away from the body 20 and the fingers 23 manually moved toward each other sufficiently to withdraw them from the grommet. The guide slots 22 in the head 2| are relatively deep and permit movement of spring fingers 23 toward each other to free the ends 28 from engagement with the grommet section II].

While I have described my applicator as embodying specific details of construction, it is contemplated that other details may be resorted to within the spirit of my invention.

Iclaim:

1. A grommet applicator comprising an elongate body having a bore therein, an abutment surface at one end provided with a pair of radially disposed elongate apertures, a slidable member in said bore, a pair of elongate spring finger members extendin from said slidable member through the apertures in the closed end of said body, said spring finger members having lateral, outwardly directed abutments adjacent the free ends thereof, and means including linkage members for axially moving said slidable member in said bore to draw said abutments toward the closed end of said body.

2. In a grommet applicator, a tubular body member provided with a head portion having ing into the longitudinal guide apertures in said body, an operating lever having a pivotal connection with said body adjacent said head, and

oppositely directed radial guide apertures therein, a pair of rod-like finger members movable in said apertures and extending from said head, outwardly directed abutments on the outer ends of said finger members, an operating lever having one end pivoted to said body portion adjacent the head, links pivoted at one end to said lever intermediate its ends, said links being pivoted at the other end to a member extending transversely of the tubular body member, the inner ends of said fingers being pivoted to said transversely extendin member, said body portion having means for guiding the movement of said transversely extending member longitudinally of the body portion, whereby when said operating lever is moved toward said body portion the head portion and the abutments on the fingers will be moved toward each other.

3. A grommet applicator comprising a tubular body, a head closing one end of said tubular links connected to the ends of said movable pin and pivotally connected to said operating lever intermediate the ends of said operating lever. JAN 1m SWART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,476,756 Junkers Dec. 11, 1923 1,496,134 Rumgay June 3, 1924 2,027,470 Caruso Jan. 14, 1936 2,150,361 Chobert Mar. 14, 1939 2,205,772 Bowersox June 25, 1940 2,358,703 Gookin Sept. 19, 1944 2,367,265 Cooper et a1. Mar. 16, 1945 2,376,684 Gobin May 2, 1945 2,378,546 Gobin June 19, 1945- FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7 322,885 Germany June 22, 1919 Certificate of Correction May 18, 1948. JAN DE SWART It is hereby certifiedthat errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 1, line 29, for of, first occurrence, read on; column 2, line 7, before portion insert the word body; and that the said Letters Patent should be r may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 31st day of August, A. D. 1948.

Patent No. 2,441,756.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommissz'oner of Patents. 

